Cookaholics Bulletin Board

There seems to be a few topics involving garlic.
Now there is another.

Last weekend I eyed the BON APPETIT magazine and decided to make some pizza.
The dough is no problem.

Now to start the sauce;
Tomatoes, blanched, peeled, de-seeded, diced.
I go outside and dig up a little clove of garlic.
It smells subtle enough.
I dice it finely on my board, that's cool.
Pan, fire, a little EVOO. Toss in the garlic, about 1 level teaspoon.
It begins to sizzle while I chop the fresh basil.
Stir the garlic, loads of fragrance, I get a light brown color, then toss in some tomatoes.

Long story short, I tossed the sauce in the trash and started over with onions instead.
Is it just me, or is garlic the most over rated seasoning on earth?

Here's my problem: Fresh garlic to me just OVERWHELMS the dish, almost any dish unless you combat it with another strong flavor. Example is teriyaki; soy sauce and ginger both have enough oomph to counteract it. It amazes me that I used a small clove and it killed a pan for two 10" pizzas. I wish it were about half the strength.

Maybe I should scale back my usage. Maybe I should seek out a mild garlic oil for seasoning. Maybe I should just stick to garlic powder. Am I a vampire?

I watch cooks on TV make a pesto sauce, and just shake my head.
(I love to make a pesto, but just 1 small clove).

Are there others out there who feel the same? Any suggestions?

I adore garlic so to me it is essential. You might want to take out the little green core before using as Dorrie Greenspan recommends doing for a milder taste. Maybe try another kind of garlic, yours might just be too strong for you. My guess is you don't like garlic and, in that case, skip it or cut way back like you do in the pesto.

Mary

Couldn't live without it.
fitzie

Well, it isn't just you, I know one other person who finds garlic much too strong.

I love the stuff.

I do not think I have ever found garlic flavor overpowering in a cooked application, but I do sometimes find the bite a bit excessive when used raw. I will frequently blanch it once, twice, or thrice depending on phase of the moon. When blanching, I usually double the amount to compensate for the mellow flavor and usually maintain a small amount of raw in the recipe.

If you are growing your own, you have the option of a different flavor profile from the supermarket variety . Dave will be able to help you with that.

Do you like roasted garlic? You might try that instead in some of your recipes.

I also grow my own garlic but never use it straight from the garden. I've been schooled to cure it a minimum of 2 weeks after harvesting, in a cool, dark area (i.e. basement). That could be part of the problem.
Nancy

I'm with Nance on this; also, it depends on how long it was in the ground. If it isn't pulled on time, it gets "ripe."

I once read that blanching in milk can take the bite out of garlic. I've never tried it because I am not overwhelmed by garlic. I too, grow it but never use it straight from the ground. If I need it and don't have any on hand, I just use some of the green shoots (like you would use chives)...much milder than garlic straight from the ground.
Ilene

I also do not care for garlic. I wish I did, but it just doesn't appeal to me. I like many things that garlic is in, pesto and such, but I find myself having to fumugate the house (loudy fume hood), after most uses. I also blanch it and that helps, but mostly I leave it out. I'm sure I'm missing important aspects of taste in many dishes, but I just have to adjust.
Funny thing, my friends seemed shocked that someone who cooks doesn't like garlic......Huh?